Refereed journal article or data article (A1)
Virtual to Virtuous Money: A Virtue Ethics Perspective on Video Game Business Logic
List of Authors: Olli I. Heimo, J. Tuomas Harviainen, Kai K. Kimppa, Tuomas Mäkilä
Publisher: Springer
Publication year: 2018
Journal: Journal of Business Ethics
Journal acronym: JBE
Volume number: 153
Issue number: 1
Start page: 95
End page: 103
Number of pages: 9
ISSN: 0167-4544
eISSN: 1573-0697
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10551-016-3408-z
URL: http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10551-016-3408-z
In this article, we expand on the models
available for defining various different business logics relevant to video game
development, especially those concerning free to play games. We use the models
to analyse those business logics from an Aristotelian virtue ethics perspective.
We argue that if an individual wishes to follow the Aristotelian virtue ethics
code in order to develop the virtues inherent in his or her own character (as
in the personal character of the developer, not a character in the game), how he
or she chooses to try and generate revenue from the fruits of his or her labour
is not irrelevant. Moreover, we argue that some of these methods are in fact vices,
which are damaging to the character of the developer, and should therefore be
avoided.